from Ms. Rached
Please mark your calendars for the following events (you can always check the www.ps154/org/events too):
Open Music Classes: March 27-31
We have been receiving positive feedback about our music partnership with Encore Music from teachers, students, and families. We are thrilled to invite families in grades K, 1, 2, 4, and 5 to open music classes during the week of March 27, the last week of music programming (3rd grade will have their open music class at a later date as their programming is longer). During open music classes, parents will have the opportunity to observe their children participate in their music class. Please look out for invitations going home in backpacks today, with date and time for each class (I’ll also share it over Remind).
Family Week: April 24-28
We are also delighted to share the news that the Week of April 24 will be Family Week, where families will be invited into classrooms during our first period of the day, one grade per day. We be sharing more info in the coming weeks!
4/24: 4th Grade
4/25: 1st Grade
4/26: 2nd Grade
4/27: 3rd and 5th Grade
4/28: Kindergarten
Staff Changes
In December, we wished our beloved Fran Ancona a happy retirement. Fran worked in our main office for many years, and her kind and caring presence is missed by staff and families alike.
Please join me in welcoming Katia Kwong to our Main Office staff next week! Katia brings so much to our school, and we are excited to have her on our team! Katia can be reached at kkwong@ps154.org, and she is available to assist with Spanish-language interpretation.
PTA events
Spring Auction, Raffle, and Afterparty (the morning after)
The PTA had a big week - our auction and parents' night out after-party were hugely successful! We surpassed our goal, raising $21,094 for the school! Thank you to everyone who participated and congrats to the winners!
A big thank you to the team that made our auction happen! Sarah Gartenberg, Jaymie Kelly, Cara Zwerling, Dani Kim, Nicole Di Schino, Nora Zelevansky, Stefanie Schiada, and Leslie Bishop
And to the team that made our after-party happen! Tom Sperduto, Dani Kim, Bill Podurgiel, Cara Zwerling, Sarah Gartenberg and Stefanie Schiada
And of course a thank you to all the additional community members who donated and solicited items to our auction - it wouldn’t have been possible without you!:
Amy Tanaka, Andrew Di Schino, Annie Coombs, Bill Elliston. Brooke Jordan, Claudia Freeman, Devjani Das, Eric Cheng, Floriana Gavriel, Geoff DeBery, Jane Bliss Birk, Karen Tingley, Katy Myers, Laura Modigliani, Lauren Arana, Leila Rached, Lilly Clark, Lily Pollans, Matthew Lima, Melissa Brown, Meredith Jacoby, Michel Gentile, Nicole Di Schino, Olia Maryamchik, Lisa Moeller, Paula Burke, Renanit Levy, Rob Townend, Shannon Smith, Siu Cheng Yu, Stephanie Macli, Teena Metternich, Temma Palermo, Tom Sperduto, and Vivan Lee.
And a special thank you to all the businesses who donated to our auction and supported our school. Please support them in turn with your patronage!
Annie's Blue Ribbon, Ballard Pharmacy, The Bird House, Brooklyn Bouldering Project, Brooklyn Game Lab, Brooklyn Nature Days, Cake the Fun Part, Camp Half-Blood, Circle Line Cruises, Cooking by Laura, Creativity Soccer Pro, Death Wish Coffee, Della, Double Windsor, Fferins of Brooklyn, Fort Hamilton Distillery, Foxwoods Casino, Gjoa Soccer, Gotham Gymnastics, Greenwood Trails, H&H Bagels, Hamilton's, Harbor Freight, JCC Brooklyn, Joe's Pizzeria, Joyce Theater, Krupa Grocery, Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Mansur Gavriel, Mindful Sports, Brooklyn Ninja Academy, NY Aquarium, NY Jets, NY Mets, NY Yankees, Olia Maryamchik Massage, Oriental Trading Co, Other Half Brewing Company, The Paley Center for Media, Park Slope Parents, Park Slope United, Penguin Coding Academy, Poetica Coffee, Premier Chess, Prospect Park Zoo, Park Slope Day Camp, Prospect Gymnastics, Red Moon Wellness, Rider Gifts, Sagoya Yoga, Shipwrecked, Siris Coombs Architecture, Sleep No More, Splat Lab, Steve & Kate's Camp, Talea, Terrace Fitness, The Edge Tie Dye, Threes Brewing, Trailblazers, United Meat Market, Urban Air Adventure Park, Werkstatt, Windsor Shoes, Windsor Tavern, and Windsor Terrace Martial Arts.
2023-24 PTA elections upcoming - we need you!
Dear PS 154 Parents and Guardians,
We need you! Yes, you. Our PS 154 PTA nominations meeting is coming up in April, and if you’ve been considering running for a role, we're hoping you might reach out in advance so we can answer any questions and help you figure out which role is best for you.] We welcome you, and are grateful for your input and participation.
The following executive board positions are available:
President (must have served one year on the board)
President-Elect
Secretary
Co-Treasurers (2 roles - must run as a slate)
Co-Chairs of Fundraising
Chair of Communications and Marketing
Chair of After School
Chair of Events-Food Coordination
Chair of Fundraising Events
Chair of Community Events
Chair of Programs
School Store Manager
Chair of Technology
Recording Secretary
Chair of Auctions and Sponsorships
Chair of Volunteer Coordination
Members at Large (8 roles, including a 5th Grade Committee Chair and 4 positions held for new/incoming parents.
More information on each role and what it requires can be found in our PTA of PS154 bylaws. These roles do not need to be a huge time commitment; many of us in parent leadership are full-time working parents, parents of multiple kids, or both! No experience is necessary—and we encourage diverse candidates. If you have questions, please feel free to reach out at pta_info@ps154.org
in-person PTA Meeting: Wednesday, March 29th
On Wednesday March 29th @8:45am, we will have an in-person meeting in MMR. Join us to have coffee with the PTA, inquire about upcoming elections, discuss the budget lines for next school year, and ask any questions you have! There will also be a zoom option for those who can’t attend in-person. All details of the event are here.
NYC SCHOOLS
NYC SCHOOL SURVEY
DEADLINE FOR NYC SCHOOL SURVEY IS MARCH 31. YOUR SCHOOL! YOUR VOICE! YOUR VOICE MATTERS! Please fill out the NYC School Survey and mail, no postage necessary. This survey can also be done online at NYCSchoolSurvey.org. You will need your child’s OSIS, to begin filling out your survey online. You can find the OSIS on your student’s report card, or on their NYCSA Account. Once on the survey page, you must enter “f”, followed by your child’s OSIS to access the survey. Note that the “f” must be lowercase.
CEC CANDIDATE FORUM MONDAY, 3/27
Help shape our children's education! The CEC Council helps promote student achievement, advising and commenting on educational policies and providing input to the chancellor and the panel for educational policy. This forum is for candidates and parents voting. Information on candidates can be found on the DOE website.
154 & More
Raccoons on Sale!
No, not everyone’s favorite procyonid. But if you’re not sporting PS154 raccoon gear on these stylish Brooklyn streets, we’ve got you covered. Shop the mid-winter sale on long sleeve Ts and crew neck sweatshirts! Starting at $15, it’s a great time to show your support for PS154.
Book Market Donations
We are always accepting donations to our book Market! Book donations can be left on the stage in the MMR in clearly marked boxes or bags. Thank you!
NYCSA ACCOUNTS
We are encouraging all custodial parents to set up their NYCSA account. NYCSA is a very important DOE online portal that provides all your child’s official school records, including report cards, attendance, and IEPs. Please log on to the link below and set up your account. Reach out to Tanica Gordon if you need a creation code or have any questions. tgordon@ps154.org https://www.schools.nyc.gov/learning/student-journey/nyc-schools-account
COMMUNITY CORNER
Aid for survivors of Earthquake in Turkey and Syria
Please see below for a list of organizations providing relief for the survivors of the recent Earthquake, which was shared by a member of the PS154 community.
Cost-free English classes
District 15 is offering English classes! Please see the flyer for details.
BUILDING SAFETY REMINDERS
Thank you for working with us to keep our building safe, and to help us to be accountable for everyone who enters the building. Please remember to bring your ID when you come to the building (or keep a photo of your ID stored on your phone).
ATTENDANCE REMINDER
Let us know when your kids are absent; please email the classroom teacher and cc Tina (thill@ps154.org).
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